Is the Ella Warranty Still Valid If I Use My Own Installer?

Yes. The Ella's Bubbles Lifetime Limited Warranty stays valid when you use your own installer, because it is a parts warranty that comes from Ella's Bubbles and not from the person who sets the tub in place. Any licensed installer is fine, and certification by Ella's Bubbles is not required. What your choice of installer does decide is who stands behind the labor, the same split described in My Installer Went Out of Business, Who Does Warranty Repair Labor Now?

Two Promises from Two Different Sources

Most of the worry behind this question comes from blending two separate promises into one. Once you pull them apart, the answer is easy to see.

The first promise is the Lifetime Limited Warranty from Ella's Bubbles. It is a parts warranty, extended to the first purchaser at the original installation address. It covers the bathtub shell, frame, door, door seal and finish, plus the supporting equipment such as pumps, control boxes, jets, drains and ozone. It does not ask who installed the tub, and it does not name an approved installer list.

The second promise is the labor warranty. Installers operate independently and provide their own labor warranties, so the labor has always been warranted by whoever did the work and never by Ella's Bubbles. That is true for every owner, whichever installer they used.

• From Ella's Bubbles: lifetime limited coverage on the shell, frame, door, door seal and finish, and on the supporting equipment, as parts only.
• With their own terms: the thermostatic control valve carries a 1 year limited warranty, and a non Ella faucet carries only its own manufacturer's warranty.
• Never part of the Ella warranty: labor, removal, replacement or installation, plumbing and electrical connections, and water damage to the home.
• From your installer: any labor coverage they offer on the work they performed.

One more point belongs here. Ella's Bubbles is not bound by warranty promises made by dealers, retailers, distributors or contractors. If your installer offers something beyond the published terms, that promise is the installer's to keep, so ask what labor coverage they provide before the work begins.

What Your Installer Has to Do to Put the Warranty in Force

Your own installer has one job in the warranty paperwork, and it is an important one. Warranty activation is required to put the warranty in force. The 2-page activation form must be completed and signed by both the customer and the installer, then returned to Ella's Bubbles with a copy of your receipt and the installer's information.

This works the same way for every tub and every installer. If a dealer or a contractor installed the tub, that installer signs the form with you, and the same rule applies to a custom build, as explained in Custom-Built Walk-In Tubs: Same Warranty, Same Manual, Same Cleaning Routine. Here is what to line up:

1. Tell your installer before the job starts that their signature and their information are needed on the activation form.
2. Find the serial number on the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door, and keep it handy.
3. Complete the form together, sign it, and return it with a copy of your receipt.

The warranty is registered in your name at the address where the tub is installed. When a tub is bought through a dealer or installation company, that company's name is only recorded as the place of purchase. You hold the coverage, and you can open a claim yourself.

Where the Quality of the Installation Does Matter

Using your own installer does not reduce the warranty, but the way the tub is installed still matters. The published terms exclude improper or negligent installation and modifications made by parties other than Ella's Bubbles, and they exclude the plumbing and electrical connections themselves along with any water damage to the home. In other words, the warranty covers the product, and the installation is the responsibility of the professional who performs it.

That is the reason to choose a licensed, experienced local contractor, typically a plumber and an electrician. Ella's technical support is free for the life of the tub, by phone, by email with photos, and by live video when a closer look helps, and your contractor is welcome to use it alongside the manuals. If you or your installer are planning anything unusual and wonder whether it could affect coverage, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before the work is done. Specific questions of that kind are confirmed by the support team, not guessed at on site.

The faucet is a common example. A seated Ella tub normally arrives with its fast-fill faucet assembled on the deck but not hooked up to the supply lines, and your installer connects the supply lines on site. If your installer supplies a different faucet instead, that non Ella faucet carries only its own manufacturer's warranty. The planning details are in Using Your Own Faucet: No-Faucet Orders, Pre-Drilled Decks, Wall-Mount Options, and Which Tubs Require a Customer-Supplied Faucet.

What to Do with Your Installer Before the Tub Is Set in Place

One deadline sits outside the warranty and is easy to miss when you are coordinating your own installer. Freight damage or missing parts must be reported within 48 hours of receipt of the shipment. Inspection means both a visual check and an operational one, so whenever possible fill the tub and run the systems before installation. A problem found during that test is easier to resolve when it is reported inside the window than after the tub is set in place.

Save all packaging material until the installation is complete, and schedule your installer with this inspection in mind. The full process is in What Is the Freight Damage 48-Hour Window on a Walk-In Tub Delivery?

If You Need a Repair Later

Ella's Bubbles does not send technicians, and that is the same for every owner. Technical support diagnoses the problem with you, the verified part ships under the warranty, and a local licensed plumber or electrician fits it. That professional can be your original installer or any other licensed pro you choose.

If you do not have an installer yet, you are free to choose your own, and Ella can also suggest a qualified installer from its national network. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can help you locate one.

The things that do end coverage have nothing to do with which installer you picked. The warranty is nontransferable and tied to the original installation address, so it does not continue if ownership changes or the tub is relocated.

Related Guides

• How do I activate my Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub warranty?
• Labor Coverage Comes From Your Installer: What to Ask For in Writing Before the Tub Goes In
• What can void my Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub warranty?

Common Questions